“There
are instances where
companies are not aware of ARB’s requirements,” said ARB Enforcement
Chief
James Ryden. “And while this doesn’t excuse them from
complying, any
company found in violation that cooperates to bring its equipment
quickly into
compliance scores a victory for public health.”

The
law requires owners of
California-registered truck fleets to regularly inspect their vehicles
to
ensure that their engine emissions meet state air quality standards.

Rapid
Harvest is
required to:

Guarantee employees responsible for conducting the
inspections attend a training class on diesel emissions compliance
testing and provide certificates of completion within one year;

Provide documentation to ARB that the inspections
are being carried out for the next four years;

Ensure all heavy-duty diesel vehicles have their
software updated with the latest low-NOx (oxides of nitrogen emissions)
programming;

Ensure all diesel truck engines are up to federal
emissions standards for the vehicle model year and are properly labeled
with an emission control certification label.

Rapid
Harvest agreed to pay
$16,500 in penalties: $12,375 will go to
the California Air Pollution Control Fund for projects and research to
improve California's
air quality.
The remaining $4,125 will go to the Peralta Community College District
to fund
emissions education classes conducted by participating California
community colleges.

Diesel exhaust contains a
variety of harmful gases and over 40 other known cancer-causing
compounds. In
1998, California
identified diesel particulate matter as a toxic air contaminant based
on its
potential to cause cancer, premature death and other health problems.

The Air
Resources Board is a department of the California Environmental
Protection Agency.ARB’s
mission is to
promote and protect public health, welfare, and ecological resources
through
effective reduction of air pollutants while recognizing and considering
effects
on the economy.The
ARB oversees all air
pollution control efforts in California
to attain and maintain health based air quality standards.